Signal-reading device.



PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907. H. H. BROWN.

- SIGNAL REA-DING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.5.1-906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIGNAL-READING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

Application filed February 5, 1906. Serial No. 299,443.

T 0 all 1071 0111, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAROLD HASHELL BROWN, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSignal-Reading Devices, of which the following is a specification.

In military and naval service where visual signals are used it is oftendesirable that signals being transmitted should be read or verified bypersons unfamiliar with the code. Moreover, it often occurs that it isessential at times for signals to be sent or read when no signalman isat hand, and as a consequence the work must necessarily be performed byothers unfamiliar with the code used. To meet these conditions is theobject of the present invention, which consists in providing a device bywhich the signals transmitted. may be readily read by persons not versedin the code used and which may be used as well for the purpose oftransmitting signals.

The invention consists in certain novel fea tures of construction andarrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference tothe description of the drawings and to the claims to be hereinaftergiven.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 represents a face view of a device embodyingthe features of this invention. Fig. 2 represents a reverse view of thesame, and Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 on Fig. 2.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figuresof the drawings.

In the drawings, represents a plate of any suitable material. On thefront face of the plate 10 is a raised point or line 11, representingthe position of the signalman sending the message. Branchingfrom thispoint 1 1 in either direction are raised horizontal lines 12 and 13, theends of which are curved upwardly, as at 14 and 15, forming thereby a U-shaped character on the top of the point 1 1. At the extremity of thecurved line 14 is a character, such as I, while at the extremity of thecurved line is a character, such as T. The lines 12 1.4 indicate a waveof the flag to the right, which in the Myers code (the code shown in thedrawings) indicates I, while the lines 13 and 15 represent a wave to theleft, or in the abovementioned code a T.

At the extremity of the curved line 14 is a U-shaped character 16, atthe lefthand end hand end 18 of which is the letter E. In like manner tothe end of the curved line 15 is another U-shaped character 19, at thelefthand extremity of which is the letter O and at the right-handextremity 21 of which is the letter A.

If the flag operator waves to the right, the party reading the messagemay readily follow with his finger along the raised lines 12 and 14 tothe horizontal line 16 for one right wave and then along 16 to the end17 for a second right wave, and the letter for the two right waves, N,will be found there located. Should the operator send one right wave andthen a left wave, the party reading the message will follow the lines 12and 14 to 16 and then along 16 to the extremity 18, where the letter Ewill be found, which corresponds with a right and left wave. In likemanner will follow the lines 13 and 15 to 19 and then continue along tothe right to the extremity 21, where the letter A will be found, whichis the letter in this particular code indicated by two right waves. Byfollowing out the line 14 to the right and then along 19 20, followingthe motions of the flag, the letter O will be discovered.

To the extremity 17 is a similar U-shaped character 22, at the ends 23and 24 of which will be found, respectively, the letters Y and U, andthese extremities are provided with other U-shaped characters 25 and 26,having suitable letters and figures located at the code being used.

The extremities 18 2O 21 are similarly provided with other U-shapedcharacters, as clearly shown in the drawings, each of said U-shapedcharacters having located at the extremities thereof letters or figurescorresponding to the code in use.

Where four waves are used in order to obtain a certain letteras, forinstance, J the operator makes two waves to the right and then two tothe left, and the party reading the message when facing the operatormoves his finger along the lines 12 and 14 to 16, along 16 to 22, whichmovements correspond with the two right waves, then to the right alongthe lines 22 24 and to the right on 17 of which is a letter N, or at theright.

if the signal sent be two left waves the reader the extremities thereofin accordance with in the exact reverse position.

are raised above the face of the plate 10, so

party writing down the message.

26, these movements corresponding with the two left waves, and theletter J .will there be found.

All of the characters such as the horizontal and curved lines and thefigures and letters that the finger of the reader may readily trace qhemovement in either direction and at the termination of said movementfeel the letter there located, so that it may be called to the After alittle use of the device the finger of the reader becomes verysensitive, so that the reader may tell the letter located at theextremity of any series of lines without look ing at the same. When thereader is facing the sender of the message, it is moreconvenient to usethe side marked Front, as shown in Fig. 1, as the movement along thelines will be in the same direction as the movement of the flag insending the message. If, however, a person reading the message finds itmore convenient to move his finger to the right when the flag is movedto the right, the reverse side of the plate is used, this side beingprovided with similar lines and U- shaped characters, at the extremitiesof which are the letters and figures of the code This face, marked Rear,as shown in Fig. 2, may also be readily utilized when reading themessage being sent when the reader is to the rear of the sender and hedesires to move his finger along the lines in the same direction thatthe flag is moved in transmitting the message.

It is obvious that by using either the front or rear face of the devicea person may stand in front of a signalman or to the rear of a signalman and by following his motions along the various raised linesthereon readily read the message being transmitted.

The device may also be used equally as Well for the transmission ofmessages by parties unfamiliar with the code-as, for instance, oneperson may operate the flag while another uses the device to inform thesender of the number of right motions or left motions necessary to senda given letter or figure.

It is believed that from the foregoing an understanding of the operationof the invention will be thoroughly understood and that its advantageswill be fully apparent.

I claim 1. A device for interpreting signals made by motions in certaindirections to represent characters, comprising a diagram made up oflines having a starting-point and running in I dlrections correspondingto the d1rect1ons of 1 the motions made in transmitting the signal andhaving at the ends of said lines the characters represented by themotions.

2. A device for interpreting signals made by motions in certaindirections to represent characters, comprising a diagram made up ofraised lines having a starting-point and running in directionscorresponding to the directions of the motions made in transmittin thesignal and having at the ends of said ines the characters represented bythe motions.

3. A device for interpreting signals made by motions in certaindirections to represent characters, comprising a member having onopposite sides-diagrams made up of raised lines having a starting-pointand running in directions corresponding to the directions of the motionsmade in transmitting the signal and having at the ends of said lines thecharacters represented by the motions, one of said diagramscorresponding to the motions as viewed from the front and the other asviewed from the rear.

1. A device for interpreting signals made by motions in certaindirections to represent characters, comprising a member having onopposite sides diagrams made up of lines having a starting-point andrunning in directions corresponding to the directions of the motionsmade in transmitting the signal and having at the ends of said lines thecharacters represented by the motions, one of said diagramscorresponding to the motions as viewed from the front and the other asviewed from the rear.

5. A device for interpreting visual signals consisting of a memberprovided With a plurality of characters so united together as tocorrespond with the movements made in transmitting signals, and aplurality of letters and figures each properly located at the extremityof such characters as would correspond with movements made intransmitting that particular letter or figure.

6. A device for interpreting visual signals consisting of a memberprovided with a plu rality of raised characters so united together as tocorrespond with the movements made in transmitting signals, and aplurality of letters and figures each properly located at the.

extremity of such characters as would correspond with movements made intransmitting that particular letter or figure.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts. this 3d day of February, 1906.

HAROLD HASHELL BROWN. Witnesses:

EDNA C. CLEVELAND, WALTER E. LOMBARD.

